ANCIENT MEDICINE: CHINESE AND GREEK

Chinese

According to the ancient Chinese system of philosophy, the human body is governed by Chi, which can loosely be translated as the 'Life Force'.

·      The Chi is made up of the Yin and the Yang - the feminine and masculine principles - that in perfect balance ensure health, peace and well being.

·      Any imbalance between the two causes disease.

·      As early as 2700 BC, the complicated system of Acupuncture had identified pressure points in the human body that were considered crucial for the healing process. By manipulating these pressure points, ancient Chinese physicians could treat the most complicated of diseases.

Greek

·      Ancient Greek medicine (circa 450 BC) is synonymous with the name of Hippocrates, who is deemed to be the father of modern medicine.

·      Hippocrates based his study and his practice of medicine on logic, reasoning and scientific experimentation.

·      For the first time in the ancient world medicine was separated from religion, philosophy and superstition. He recorded all his theories and observations in a series of books, which are now held sacred by the practitioners of modern medicine all over the world.

• From about 6th century BC, many important developments were made in the fields of surgery, orthopaedics, opthalmology and obstetrics in Greece. Greek surgeons using various types of knives, syringes and forceps as surgical tools. Although there is a school of thought that believes that transfer of similar knowledge from India through the trade connections cannot be ruled out entirely.

(See also: ANCIENT MEDICINE, Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

FENG SHUI

an ancient Chinese practice of configuring home or work environments to promote health, happiness, prosperity. Feng shui consultants may advise clients to make adjustments in their surroundings, from color selection to furniture placement, to promote a healthy flow of chi, or vital energy.

(See also: FENG SHUI, Alternative Health, Healing, Body Mind and Soul)

Ayurveda: (ancient Indian medicine, Vedic medicine): Ancient Hindu medical-metaphysical healing science based on the harmony of body, mind and universe through diet, exercise, herbs, and purification procedures. It emphasizes the capability of the individual for self-healing using natural remedies to restore balance.

Allegedly, the most complete system of natural medicine and the mother of all healing arts. Ayurvedic theory includes a subtle anatomy that includes: nadis, canals that carry prana (cosmic energy) throughout the body; chakras, "centers of consciousness" that connect body and soul; and marmas, points on the body beneath which vital structures (physical and/or subtle) intersect. Ayurvedic diagnosis involves examination of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, nails, and pulse. The pulse is important because of the belief that the heart is the seat of the underlying intelligence of nature ie human consciousness.

(See also: Ayurveda, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Acupressure

Based on the principles of acupuncture, this ancient Chinese technique involves the use of finger pressure (rather than needles) on specific points along the body to treat ailments such as tension and stress, aches and pains, or arthritis. The system is also used for general preventive health care.

(See also: Acupressure, Alternative Health, Healing, Body Mind and Soul)

Tai chi (other names: Tai chi chuan, Tai Ji, tai ji chuan, Tai Ji Juan, Tai ji quan, Taiqi): Variation of self-healing. Tai chi is an ancient, yoga-like Chinese system of ballet-like exercises designed for health, self-defense, and spiritual development. Practicing tai chi supposedly facilitates the flow of chi through the body by dissolving blockages both within the body and between the body and the environment. Traditional Tai Chi prescribes about 108 to 128 postures, including repetitions.

(See also: Tai chi, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Reiki

Practitioners of this ancient Tibetan healing system use light hand placements to channel healing energies to the recipient. While practitioners may vary widely in technique and philosophy, Reiki is commonly used to treat emotional and mental distress as well as chronic and acute physical problems, and to assist the recipient in achieving spiritual focus and clarity.

(See also: Reiki, Alternative Health, Healing, Body Mind and Soul)

ACUPRESSURE

Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body’s natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s life force (sometimes known as qi or chi) to aid healing.

Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses the gentle, but firm pressure of hands (and even feet). There is a large amount of scientific data demonstrating why and how acupuncture is effective. But acupressure, the older of the two traditions, was neglected after the Chinese developed more technical methods for stimulating points with needles and electricity.

Acupressure, however, continues to be the most effective method for self-treatment of tension-related ailments by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand. Foremost among the advantages of acupressure’s healing touch is that it is safe to do on yourself and others - even if you’ve never done it before - so long as you follow the instructions and pay attention to the cautions. The only pieces of equipment needed are your own two hands. You can practice acupressure therapy anytime, anywhere.

Acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eye strain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, tension due to stress, ulcer pain, menstrual cramps, lower backaches, constipation, and indigestion. Self-acupressure can also be used to relieve anxiety and get better sleep at night. There are also great advantages to using acupressure as a way to balance the body and maintain good health.

The healing touch of acupressure reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness. In acupressure, local symptoms are considered an expression of the condition of the body as a whole. A tension headache, for instance, may be rooted in the shoulder and neck area. Thus, acupressure focuses on relieving pain and discomfort, as well as responding to tension, before it develops into a disease - before the constrictions and imbalances can do further damage.

The origins of acupressure are as ancient as the instinctive impulse to hold your forehead or temples when you have a headache. Everyone at one time or another has used their hands spontaneously to hold tense or painful places on the body. More than 5,000 years ago, the Chinese discovered that pressing certain points on the body relieved pain where it occurred and also benefited other parts of the body more remote from the pain and the pressure point. Gradually, they found other locations that not only alleviated pain, but also influenced the functioning of certain internal organs. (Definition in part from the book Acupressure’s Potent Points, by Michael Reed Gach, director of the Acupressure Institute.)

(See also: ACUPRESSURE, Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Vastu Shastra

Vastu Shastra is an ancient science energy flow throughout the house/office/factory that allows inflow of fresh air and natural light that promotes health, wealth, peace and happiness.

The most ancient science of architecture that goes back to the Vedic ages, it is composed of specific rules and regulations, set down by sages of those times, that an architect / builder / owner was expected to religiously follow to avoid coming under negative or evil influences. Today, it is looked upon as a highly evolved, comprehensive building philosophy in which directions and shapes are the most vital aspects of designing.

Right from the selection of site to correct slope of land down to the shape of the building, this oldest form of architecture covers nearly every aspect of construction. Not only for houses but temples, palaces, forts, offices...just about every possible form of construction. Often providing relief if not cures to physical or emotional problems simply by relocating an entrance, window or room.

Some of the important points made therein are:

• Directional Alignment
• Shape Of The Site
• Slope Of The Land Surface
• Impact of Gates At Various Locations
• Brahmasthan (Central Zone of the Building)
• The Staircase
• Inner Planning of a House
• Inner Planning of an Office
• Internal Planning of any Industrial Building

See also: Vastu Shastra   (See also: Vastu Shastra, Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

cupping (cupping method, cupping therapy; called the horn method in ancient China): Variable method akin to moxabustion.

The practitioner may use a cup made of glass, metal, or wood (notably bamboo) and burn alcohol, alcohol-soaked cotton wool, herbs, paper, or a taper therein. Before or after the burning is complete, the practitioner applies the cup upside-down to a relatively flat body surface and leaves it in this position for five to ten minutes. Results include erythema (reddening of the skin due to capillary expansion), edema (excessive fluid accumulation in tissue spaces), and ecchymoses (purple discoloration of the skin due to rupture of blood vessels).

The above description relates to fire cupping (the fire cupping method), which has several forms. Other forms of cupping include the acupuncture cupping method, the air pumping cupping method, and the water cupping method.

(See also: Cupping, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

THERAPEUTIC TOUCH

Developed through the collaboration of a nursing professor and a spiritual healer, Therapeutic Touch is based on ancient energy healing methods.

Practitioners, primarily nurses, are trained to feel or sense energy imbalances in the client and to use “laying on” of hands to disperse blocks and channel healing forces to the client’s body.

The therapist uses a light touch or holds the hand above the body, with the client generally seated. Meditation is used by the therapist to center herself and strengthen her connection to the client’s energy system.

Therapeutic Touch has been applied in an assortment of medical situations, including the care of premature infants and emergency room patients. It is known to induce a state of relaxation within minutes.

Therapeutic Touch is considered safe because of its gentle, noninvasive approach. Developers of this technique affirm that everyone has the potential to heal with Therapeutic Touch and may be taught the methodology in one day.

(See also: THERAPEUTIC TOUCH, Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Druidism: An ancient Celtic religion which has undergone a modern revival.

(See also: Druidism, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Chinese medicine (Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM): Ancient holistic system whose basics include herbology, nutrition, and the concepts of acupuncture meridians, the Five Elements (Five Phases), and yin and yang.

Traditional Chinese Medicine theory posits both Organs (the Triple Burner, for example) and Substances (such as Shen, or Spirit) for which scientific evidence is absent. Variations and hybrids of Chinese medicine include Korean medicine, Tibetan medicine, and Vietnamese traditional medicine.

Chinese medicine probably originated about 2,000 years ago, but it became dogmatic and stagnated for centuries; overall its development has been slow. It probably stems from shamanism. The basis of Chinese medicine is Taoism, a religion according to which spirits (shen) inhabit the human body and take care of its functions. The foundational text of Chinese medicine - known as the Classic of Internal Medicine, the Huangdi Neijing, the Inner Classic, the Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor, the Neiching, the Nei Jing, The Yellow Emperor's Classic, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, and the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon - was completed by the first century C.E.

(See also: Chinese medicine, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Hieroglyph: A pictographic character in the ancient Egyptian writing system, invented before 3000 BC. Today almost any pictographic character.

(See also: Hieroglyph, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Vedic Astrology: Ancient system that allegedly helps to resolve doubts concerning children, health, spiritual growth, and other subjects. Suggestions regarding donations, gemstones, herbs, mantras, yantras (mystic diagrams), and rituals are integral to the system.

(See also: Vedic Astrology, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Confucius: (551-479 BC) The most famous philosopher of ancient China. According to tradition, he was born in Lu, China. Author of the Ch'un Ch'iu (Spring and Autumn Annals) and possible compiler of some early poetry.

(See also: Confucius, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Tibetan Reiki: Variation of and extension to Reiki. Tibetan Reiki is supposedly of ancient Tibetan origin.

(See also: Tibetan Reiki:, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Energy: Pranic Healing

Prana (pronounced PRAH-nah) is a Sanskrit word meaning "life-force," the invisible bio-energy or vital energy that keeps the body alive and maintains a state of good health.

As an art and science, Pranic Healing was widely practiced in the ancient civilizations of China, Egypt and India. One of today’s methods of Pranic Healing was founded by Mr. Choa Kok Sui, a chemical engineer, philanthropist and businessman. He compiled more than twenty years of research and experimentation on the wise use of subtle healing into over five books on Pranic Healing, which are translated into 24 languages. 

Pranic Healing is based on the theory that every person is surrounded and interpenetrated by a luminous energy body, called the bioplasmic body. The word bioplasmic comes from “bio” (life) and “plasma” (ionized gas with positive and negative charged particles). This is called the “energy body” and has been rediscovered with Kirlian photography. It is through the energy body that prana, or life energy, is absorbed and redistributed throughout the body.

In Pranic Healing, the therapists use crystals or their hands (in a "no touch" method) with specified methods for specific ailments to remove negative or disease energy from the patient's energy body and then transfer fresh prana to the affected areas to accomplish healing. Pranic Healing is based on the principle that the body has the ability to heal itself. To make this happen, it utilizes the life force as fuel to initiate the necessary biochemical changes. Pranic Healing has been found to prevent and heal a whole spectrum of physical, emotional and mental ailments.

(See also: Pranic Healing, Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

ACUPRESSURE: Based on the principles of acupuncture, this ancient Chinese technique involves the use of finger pressure, rather than needles, on specific points along the body to treat ailments such as tension and stress, aches and pains, and arthritis.  Although the older of the techniques, acupressure tends to be overlooked as the Chinese developed more "technological" methods for stimulating points with needles and electricity. However, acupressure is a gentle yet powerful healing technique which relies on senitivity of touch to locate and release imbalances within the body. Acupressure continues to be more effective in relieving tension-related ailments.

Theory of accupressure

Acupressure focuses on the natural bioenergy or Qi (pronounced Chi) flowing through the body. The theory was developed that if a stimulus in the form of heat, pressure, or a needle was applied to specific points on the body, it would relieve the symptoms of many conditions. It was determined that these points were not random but followed energetic pathways along the body, and each one was linked to a particular internal organ.

Technique of accupressure

The practice of acupressure has developed primarily through a combination of instinct and hands-on experience. Its principles and healing techniques have also been influenced by individuals who could feel or see trigger points and meridian pathways. Some healers integrated breathing meditations and mudras (hand positions) while others added herbal remedies and massage. A series of gentle stretches, joint manipulations, and noninvasive pressure to different pressure points will stimulate the corresponding glands of the body to balance the flow of vital energy through the body, thus stimulating the body's natural healing ability. A combination of pressures applied by the palms, thumbs, elbows, and sometimes the knees and feet are used.

Although acupressure is a holistic treatment encompassing the mind, body, and spirit, on a physical level it can have the effect of improving the circulation and the flow of lymph. Acupressure also works directly on the central nervous system promoting relaxation, calmness, and a sense of well-being. This technique is also used for general preventive health care.

(See also: Acupressure, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Pranic Healing (bioplasmic healing, radiatory healing): ancient science and art whose modern founder is Choa Kok Sui. Pranic Healing uses ki, prana, or vital energy to heal the whole physical body. It involves manipulation of ki and bioplasmic matter. Pranic Healing theory posits acupoints, chakras, meridians (bioplasmic channels), and a three-layered energy body.

(See also: Pranic Healing, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Traditional Chinese Medicine: An ancient healing system that views the body as an integrated whole, so problems in one area are seen to affect other areas. It bases diagnosis on an individual’s pattern of symptoms and signs such as pulse, and skin and tongue condition. Therapies like acupuncture and herbal remedies are used to rebalance the forces within the body.

(See also: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)